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. 2021 Apr 1;116(9):935–942. doi: 10.1111/vox.13091

Table 1.

Randomized controlled trials of COVID‐19 convalescent plasma reported to date

RCT identifier Country Recruitment (out of expected) (randomization strategy) Control arm components Median days from symptoms or hospital admission Baseline recipient WHO score* Median nAb in CCP units Median nAb in recipient Transfused CCP volume (ml) Outcome Refs
ChiCTR2000029757 China 103 (out of 200) (1:1) BSC 30 (from symptoms) 5–6 not assessed not assessed 200 Reduced mortality at day 28 only in WHO score 5 patients (HR 2·5) [21]
NCT04342182 (ConCOVID) Netherlands 86 (out of 426) (1:1) BSC 10 (from symptoms) 5–6 1:160 1:160 in 79% of recipients 300 No benefit at day 15 [14]
CTRI/2020/04/024775 (PLACID) India 464 (1:1) BSC 6 (from symptoms) 4–5 1:40 1:90 200 + 200 No benefit at day 28 [13]
NCT04345523 (ConPlas‐19) Spain 81 (out of 278, still recruiting) (1:1) BSC 8 (from symptoms)

3 (25%)

4 (75%)

1:292 not assessed 250–300 Reduced mechanical ventilation or death (0% vs. 14%). Mortality rates were 0% vs. 9·3% at days 15 and 29 for the active and control groups, respectively. [12]
NCT04375098 Chile 58 (1:1) late CCP 6 (from symptoms) 3‐4 ≥1:160 59% <1:160 (16% of patients enrolled before day 5 were ≥1:160 vs. 60% of those enrolled after day 6 200 + 200 NO benefit at day 30 in death, mechanical ventilation or prolonged hospitalization compared to CCP administration only in case of clinical worsening or >7 days after enrolment [22]
NCT04479163 Argentina 160 (out of 210) (1:1) normal saline ≤3 (from symptoms; and > 65 yrs) 3 Not assessed Not assessed 250 Progression to severe COVID‐19 halved at day 30 [10]
NCT04383535 (PlasmAr) Argentina 333 (2:1) normal saline 8 (from symptoms) 5 1:300 IC80 Not assessed 500 No benefit at day 30 (16·2% vs. 31·2%) [9]
CTRI/2020/05/025209 India 80 (1:1) BSC 4·2 (from hospital admission) 5 Not assessed Not assessed 200 + 200 Immediate mitigation of hypoxia, reduction in hospital stay as well as survival benefit was recorded in severe COVID‐19 patients with ARDS aged less than 67 years [11]
NCT04356534 Bahrain 40 (1:1) BSC n.a.

4 (95%)

5 (5%)

Not assessed Not assessed 200 + 200 No difference in requirement for ventilation, white blood cell count, LDH, CRP, troponin, ferritin, D‐dimer, procalcitonin, mortality rate at 28 days [23]
NCT04346446 India 29 (1:1) FFP <3 (from symptoms) 4‐5 not assessed not assessed 250 + 250 Better median improvement in PaO2/FiO2 at 48‐h [42 vs. 231] and at day 7 [24]
BKH‐CT‐012 Iraq 49 (1:1) BSC <3 (from ICU admission) 5 not assessed not assessed 400 Duration of infection reduced by 4 days; mortality 1/21 in CCP arm vs. 8/28 [25]
RCT, randomized controlled trial; WHO, World Health Organization; nAb, neutralizing antibodies; CCP, COVID‐19 convalescent plasma; Ref, reference; BSC, best supportive care; FFP, fresh‐frozen plasma; n.a., not assessed; HR, hazard ratio; ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; CRP, C‐reactive protein; PaO2/FiO2, partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen ratio; ICU, intensive care unit. ‘Not assessed’ means that antivirus antibodies were assessed only using high‐throughput serology.
*The WHO score [20] ranges from 0 to 8: 0: no clinical or virological evidence of infection; 1: no limitations of activities; 2: limitations of activities; 3: hospitalized, no oxygen therapy; 4: oxygen by mask or nasal prongs; 5: non‐invasive ventilation or high‐flow oxygen; 6: intubation and mechanical ventilation; 7: ventilation + additional organ support ‐ pressors, renal replacement therapy, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; and 8: death.
Here below, an alternative layout/adaptation of Table 1.
RCT identifier [Country] Recruited (out of expected) [randomization strategy] Control arm components Median days from symptoms or hospital admission Baseline recipient WHO score* Median nAb in CCP units Median nAb in recipient Volume of CCP transfused (ml) Outcome Refs
ChiCTR2000029757 [China] 103 (of 200) [1:1] BSC 30 (from symptoms) 5–6 n.a. n.a. 200 Reduced mortality at day 28 only in WHO score 5 patients (HR 2·5) [21]
NCT04342182 (ConCOVID) [Netherlands] 86 (of 426) [1:1] BSC 10 (from symptoms) 5–6 1:160 1:160 in 79% of recipients 300 No benefit at day 15 [14]

CTRI/2020/04/024775 (PLACID)

[India]

464 [1:1] BSC 6 (from symptoms) 4–5 1:40 1:90 200 + 200 No benefit at day 28 [13]
NCT04345523 (ConPlas‐19) [Spain] 81 (of 278, still recruiting) [1:1] BSC 8 (from symptoms)

3 (25%)

4 (75%)

1:292 n.a. 250–300 Reduced mechanical ventilation or death (0% vs. 14%). Mortality rates were 0% vs. 9·3% at days 15 and 29 for the active and control groups, respectively. [12]
NCT04375098 [Chile] 58 [1:1] late CCP 6 (from symptoms) 3–4 ≥1:160 59% <1:160 (16% of patients enrolled before day 5 had ≥1:160 vs. 60% of those enrolled after day 6 200 + 200 No benefit at day 30 in death, mechanical ventilation or prolonged hospitalization compared to CCP administration only in case of clinical worsening or >7 days after enrolment [22]
NCT04479163 [Argentina] 160 (of 210) [1:1] Normal saline ≤ 3 (from symptoms; and >65 years) 3 n.a. n.a. 250 Progression to severe COVID‐19 was halved at day 30 [10]
NCT04383535 (PlasmAr) [Argentina] 333 [2:1] normal saline 8 (from symptoms) 5 1:300 IC80 n.a. 500 No benefit at day 30 (16·2% vs. 31·2%) [9]
CTRI/2020/05/025209 [India] 80 [1:1] BSC 4·2 (from hospital admission) 5 n.a. n.a. 200 + 200 Immediate mitigation of hypoxia, reduction in hospital stay as well as survival benefit in severe COVID‐19 patients with ARDS aged < 67 years [11]
NCT04356534 [Bahrain] 40 [1:1] BSC n.a.

4 (95%)

5 (5%)

n.a. n.a. 200 + 200 No difference in requirement for ventilation, white blood cell count, LDH, CRP, troponin, ferritin and D‐dimer, procalcitonin, mortality rate at 28 days [23]
NCT04346446 [India] 29 [1:1] FFP <3 (from symptoms) 4–5 n.a. n.a. 250 + 250 Better median improvement in PaO2/FiO2 at 48 h (42 vs. 231) and at day 7 [24]
BKH‐CT‐012 [Iraq] 49 [1:1] BSC <3 (from ICU admission) 5 n.a. n.a. 400 Duration of infection reduced by 4 days; mortality 1/21 in CCP arm vs. 8/28 [25]